The present invention relates to a composition for attracting male pink hibiscus mealybug (PHM), which composition contains a male pink hibiscus mealybug attracting effective amount of (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, and optionally a carrier material or carrier. The present invention also relates to a method for attracting male pink hibiscus mealybugs to an object or area, which method involves treating said object or area with a male pink hibiscus mealybug attracting composition containing a male pink hibiscus mealybug attracting effective amount of (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, and optionally a carrier material or carrier. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for disrupting male pink hibiscus mealybugs mating with female pink hibiscus mealybugs, involving exposing a pink hibiscus mealybugs population to a composition containing (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate in a quantity sufficient to disrupt male pink hibiscus mealybugs mating with female pink hibiscus mealybugs, and optionally a carrier material or carrier. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a cyclobutane having the formula:
wherein R1 is hydrogen, a C1-11 straight or branched alcohol, aldehyde, alkyl, ether (e.g. methanol, ethanal, 4-methylhexane, heptyloxymethane), or esters thereof with a C1-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched acid (e.g., formic acid, acetic acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, 3-methyl-2-butenoic acid) and R2 is hydrogen, methyl, C2-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched alkyl (e.g. hexane, isopropenyl, 4-methyl-4-pentene).
The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae), causes severe economic problems throughout tropical and subtropical regions. It appears to be native to Australia or Southern Asia (Williams, D. J., Bull. Entomol., Res. 86: 617-628 (1996)). This exotic insect pest has been spreading through the entire Caribbean region since it was first detected on the island of Grenada in 1994 (Matile-Ferrero, D., and J. Eitienne, Revue Francaise d'Entomologie, 18: 38 (1996); Etienne, J., et al., Bulletin de la Societe entomologique de France, 103: 173-174 (1998)). Since then, it has spread to Southern California, Mexico, Central America, and, in 2002, to Florida (Anonymous, Pink Hibiscus Mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (2002), http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/ento/pink.htm).
PHM feeds on a wide range of host plants, inflicting severe damage by injecting toxic saliva into the host plant leading to malformation of fruit, leaves and shoots, stunting of plant growth, and eventual plant death (Kairo, M. T. K., et al., International Pest Management Reviews, 5: 241-254 (2000)). Agricultural crops in the United States expected to be at greatest economic risk to PHM invasion include ornamental crops, vegetable crops, citrus, grapes, avocados, and many other plants (Anonymous, The Hibiscus or Pink Mealybug, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (1996), http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_phphmealybug.html). Potential losses of $750 million per year have been estimated if the insect cannot be controlled (Carter-Lane, S., and J. Redding, Exotic Parasitic Wasps to Attack Invasive Mealybug in California, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (1999), http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/news/1999/09/MELBUGCA.HTM). To date, detection of PHM infestations relies on visual inspection, although live virgin females can be used as an attractant source (Stibick, J. N. L., New pest response guidelines: Pink hibiscus mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (1997); Serrano, M., et al., Environ. Entomol., 30: 339-345 (2001)); however, limited availability and low survivorship of live virgin females made this application impractical. A synthetic pheromone would provide a much more economical, convenient, and useful survey tool. An artificial lure might also enable the development of mass trapping and mating disruption technology for managing this pest, which would complement ongoing biological control eradication efforts in the Caribbean, California, and Florida.